A 12-year-old boy died, and four others were injured after land subsidence damaged seven houses in Sijua, a coal mining area in Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on Tuesday.
The incident has renewed fears among residents of the coal mining region. The ground suddenly gave way, houses were damaged, and several people were injured.
Police said the 12-year-old boy died at a government hospital in Dhanbad. The injured are being treated at a private hospital in Sijua.
The incident took place in an area under the Sijua region of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL). Officials and local representatives reached the spot after the incident as residents were angry over it and concerned about their safety.
Seven Houses Damaged After Ground Gives Way
Seven houses were damaged after the land subsided in the area. Panic set in among residents when suddenly the ground moved, and several families feared more houses would be affected.
The body of the deceased boy has been sent for postmortem at Shahid Nirmal Mahato Medical College in Dhanbad.
Deputy Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) Prakash Soy confirmed the boy’s death. He also said that injured people were being treated in the hospital.
Residents are now worried about the safety of their homes. Many families live near coal mines and have complained in the past about land subsidence.
People also came out to protest after the incident. A portion of Katras-Sijua road was blocked as people demanded action from authorities.
Residents Protest, Demand Safety Measures
The protest followed residents’ demand for immediate action to protect people living in the affected area.
Officials of the local administration and BCCL met with affected families. The authorities also assured them that steps would be taken to address their issues.
Compensation of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh is generally given in such cases, according to officials.
BCCL has also said that the affected families will be shifted to a safer place. General Manager BCCL Sijua Area Nirjhar Chakraborty said the process of shifting families would begin immediately.
For the families whose homes have been destroyed or whose houses have been damaged, relocation is now a pressing issue. Besides financial help, residents need a permanent solution that will protect them from such incidents in the future too.
The protests also show how tensions between residents and authorities over safety in mining areas are growing.
Illegal Mining Allegation Under Investigation
The incident also led to allegations of illegal coal mining in the area.
Baghmara MLA and BJP leader Shatrughan Mahato blamed illegal coal mining for the land subsidence. He said illegal mining weakened the ground and caused the collapse.
But that allegation has not been established as the cause of the latest incident. The authorities will have to look into it and find out why the land subsided.
Land subsidence can be a serious problem in coal mining areas. Underground mining can change the stability of the ground (especially where there are old or abandoned mine workings), so homes, roads and other structures could be at risk.
This latest incident has again drawn attention to the plight of people living in Dhanbad’s mining belt.
For now, the priority is to treat the injured; help the family of the deceased boy; move families living in unsafe houses to safer locations.
The authorities and BCCL will also have to inspect the damaged houses and the area around them to see if other residents face a similar risk.
An investigation into what caused the land subsidence will be needed. It might also help authorities find other vulnerable areas and take preventive measures before another tragedy happens.
The death of the 12-year-old boy has only heightened safety concerns in Dhanbad’s mining areas. Residents want answers and protection now, rehabilitation, compensation, and prevention of another such incident.
